Andrew Jackson March 15, 1767 in Waxhaw, on the border of North and South Carolina – June 8, 1845 in Nashville, Tennessee Political Party: Democrat Terms: March 4, 1829 – March 3, 1837 Vice President(s): 1st –John C. Calhoun in 1825-1832, 2nd – Martin Van Buren in 1833-1837
Thematic Context: As the Americans moved west and began settling on the east coast, they began to desire to trade with the countries in Asia. Of high interest was Japan who had remained isolated from western countries for years. One attempt in particular made by Americans to trade and communicate with the Japanese was met with cannon fire. Men aboard the Morrison traveled to the waters of Japan in 1837 to return Japanese sailors who had survived a shipwreck and washed ashore on some distant islands as well as try and trade with the Japanese. First the ship approached Uraga Bay where they brought items to show they meant no harm and only wanted peaceful interactions. The ship and crew were shot at with cannons as they got near. Similarly, when the crew reached Kagoshima Bay, they were shot at. Against the suggestions of advisors, the shogunate refused to trade, let alone talk, to the westerners. Establishing trade with Japan could have meant vast profits for American merchants and manufacturers. The value at the time was only seldom understood. President Jackson had instructed Captain Edmund Roberts to travel to China, to try and open up commerce with Japan. The Morrison Incident, as it was referred to, was a small attempt of merchants to gain this new line of trade. With the Japanese again refusing to trade with the U.S., Jackson’s hope of trading with Japan went largely up into smoke. No major attempts to trade with Japan were made again until ten or more years later. More prosperous than trading with Japan, the American frontiersmen established substantial roots in Texas growing cotton. When the Texans began getting frustrated with the Mexican government taking away their rights and outlawing slavery, revolution became more of an appealing option. In 1836, Texas announced its independence from Mexico, and became the Lone Star Republic. News of the infant nation bordered by the United States in the east and Mexico in the south needed to desperately establish ties with other countries to in order to ensure their safety. Countries realized the importance and value of Texas, especially the United States. The Texans wanted to become a state, but the slavery issue prevented it from happening right away. Powerless to do much in the situation, Jackson could do little more than recognize the new country. Nevertheless with the support shown by Jackson and the rest of the United States, tension with Mexico intensified. It was hard for the two countries to maintain any civil formal relations and trade as a result. Both of these events affected the US’s globalization; one was blocked by isolationists and may have hurt some relations and the other one severely hurt the US’s trade with a neighbor. While they didn’t have anything to do with the Jackson administration, this affected the presidency and the country’s globalization.
Thesis: Few presidents have had a time period in American history named after them. The Jacksonian Era was a time marked by a change in the way presidencies were carried out. His use of executive authority, fairly different than any former presidents, was evident in many actions he took during his time in office. The Spoils System, the Force Act, the Indian Removal Act, and the dissolution of the United States Bank all demonstrated Andrew Jackson’s use of his presidential power to get things done. Inheriting the Tariff of Abominations and other problems of the War of 1812, President Jackson did not have a smooth time in office. His lack of protection of democratic values, disregard for the indigenous people, and show of federal strength put off many Americans, for this he deserves a C+.
Goals: As president, there were a number of things that Jackson wanted to get done. His top priorities and goals of his presidency were solving the conflicts over land between the Native Americans and the whites, giving more power back to the states, and eliminating corruption in the government. Jackson accomplished most of these, but not always in the best ways. To solve the problems with whites wanting the Native Americans’ land, Jackson issued the Indian Removal Act that ultimately ended with forced marches Indians during the winter to designated lands. Thousands of Indians died on these journeys. To give more power back to the states, Jackson began limiting what the central government could do. He rejected certain bills for internal improvements because he believed it was the states’ rights, not the federal government’s to fix these problems. In Jackson’s feeble attempt to limit the corruption in government, seeing what was going on during the Adams administration, he ended up bringing people into positions of power that had no business being there. The Spoils System often rewarded those who supported Jackson rather than those who were most qualified. Sometimes these individuals appointed had ulterior motives that clouded their judgments and caused more harm than good. Jackson meant well, but did not fulfill his goals as president in the best way possible.
Relationship with Congress: Jackson repeatedly vetoed Congress, twelve times in fact. Presidents before him hardly ever used their power to veto Congress. When he vetoed the bill for the re-charter of the Second Bank of the United States in 1834, he was censured by the Senate. One could say that Congress and President Jackson did not see eye to eye. Often Jackson did not go to Congress when making policies, taking matters into his own hands. Vetoes that Andrew Jackson used include: the Maysville Road bill, the authorization of a subscription of stock in the Maysville Road, the building of light-houses, light-boats, monuments, placing buoys, improving harbors, and directing surveys, a day for annual meeting of Congress, and to improve navigation of the Wabash River among a few others.
Positive Event: Helped along in Congress during John Quincy Adams’s presidency by Jackson supporters, the Tariff of Abominations remained in effect when Jackson took office. The tariff created a steep raise in taxes on imported goods up to nearly twenty-five percent. The supporters of Jackson had hoped to taint Adams’s presidency with this ridiculous bill, but they didn’t realize that if it were passed and Jackson was elected president, that he would have to deal with it. Obviously something had to be done about the outrageous tariff, so Jackson, his administration, and Congress began working on a more moderate tariff with lower rates. In 1832, a new tariff was passed reducing rates by ten percent. Not all were satisfied by the tariff, especially South Carolina. They took a stand against the Tariff of Abominations and were not at all pleased by the Tariff of 1832. After voting, the South Carolina state legislature deemed the tariff null and void within their borders. To combat this direct defiance to the government, Jackson signed the Force Act, which made it possible for the president to used armed force to collect import duties. All of the conflict was finally settled with the Tariff of 1833, probably one of the most important actions of his presidency, which compromised both sides and seemed acceptable to all. With the compromise tariff there was no need for armed conflict.
Negative Event: Much of the Native American land in the Unites States was coveted by the whites. Some thought that if the Natives were made civilized and adopted European ways of life they would all benefit, and the whites believed it would be easier to obtain their land. Most tribes rejected attempts at trying to change their culture. Five tribes did assimilate well though; the Choctaw, Chickasaw, Seminole, Creek, and Cherokee became known as the “Five Civilized Tribes.” In Supreme Court cases, the judges ruled that the tribes were their own sovereign nations and that the laws being passed by states to remove them from their land had no effect. President Jackson blatantly disregarded the Supreme Court’s decision stating that he would not enforce their decision. Jackson then signed the Indian Removal Act that gave the government the power to offer the Native Americans land in the west so that their land could be used for cotton. The act said that the government had to be fair and couldn’t force the Natives, but often they were. Thousands upon thousands of Native Americans were forced off their land and had to march west to the Indian Territory. Many died on the long trips to present day Oklahoma. Jackson’s uprooting of the Native Americans was selfish and harsh. He went against the Supreme Court’s decision for selfish gains. The Trail of Tears, as the forced march of Native Americans to the Indian Territory became known as, was a major contributor to Jackson’s rating of C+.
Influential Decision: It was no secret that Andrew Jackson disliked the Bank of the United States. He did not like that the bank had so much power and that it did not have the best interests of the people at heart. The government had no control over the bank, and it mainly listened to the manufacturing giants of the north. Jackson favored the small wildcat or pet banks over the large monopolistic national bank. Henry Clay knew Jackson’s view on the bank and decided to move for a re-charter of the bank to create an election issue. Jackson immediately blocked the charter and the bank was scheduled to cease to exist. The $11 million the United States government had in the bank was removed by Jackson and put into the pet and wildcat banks of the west. This decision created a “snowball” effect that could not have been predicted. These small banks in the west began loaning out money and issuing mountains of paper money. As a result inflation and speculation began running rampant, so much so that Jackson was forced to act. He used the Specie Circular to require people to pay for land with metallic money. This solved the problem of land speculation, but also contributed to the Panic of 1837 which greatly affected Martin Van Buren’s presidency in the next term and the country as a whole.
Conclusion: The Jacksonian era began a change in presidencies where the president began using more and more power. Never before had a president vetoed Congress more or had been so set in his way. Andrew Jackson got things done, there is no doubt about it, but not always in the best ways. The Indian Removal Act and the Trail of Tears, the Spoils System, the Force Act, the prevention of the re-charter of the bank of the United States all showed how effective Jackson was at getting what he thought necessary done. Despite the fact that he was able to complete a considerable amount in his presidency, the repercussions of his actions require a rating of C+.
Bibliography: Andrew Jackson: "Inaugural Address," March 4, 1829. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project.
"Andrew Jackson Shuts down Second Bank of the U.S." History.com. A&E Television Networks, 2013. Web. 17 Mar. 2013.
Jansen, Marius B., John Whitney. Hall, and Donald H. Shively. The Cambridge History of Japan. 5th ed. Cambridge U.a.: Cambridge Univ., 1989. Print.
DeGregorio, William A. The Complete Book of U.S. Presidents. 6th ed. Fort Lee, NJ: Barricade, 2005. Print.
Feller, Daniel. "Andrew Jackson's Shifting Legacy." The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, 2013. Web. 17 Mar. 2013.
"Glossary." PBS. PBS, 2007. Web. 17 Mar. 2013.
"List of United States Presidential Vetoes." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 17 Mar. 2013. Web. 17 Mar. 2013.
Minster, Christopher. "The Texas Revolution." About.com Latin American History. About.com, 2013. Web. 17 Mar. 2013.
Perkins, Dorothy. The Samurai of Japan: A Chronology from Their Origin in the Heian Era (794-1185) to the Modern Era. Upland, PA: Diane Pub., 1998. Print.
"Trail of Tears." History.com. A&E Television Networks, 2013. Web. 17 Mar. 2013.
March 15, 1767 in Waxhaw, on the border of North and South Carolina – June 8, 1845 in Nashville, Tennessee
Political Party: Democrat
Terms: March 4, 1829 – March 3, 1837
Vice President(s): 1st –John C. Calhoun in 1825-1832, 2nd – Martin Van Buren in 1833-1837
Thematic Context: As the Americans moved west and began settling on the east coast, they began to desire to trade with the countries in Asia. Of high interest was Japan who had remained isolated from western countries for years. One attempt in particular made by Americans to trade and communicate with the Japanese was met with cannon fire. Men aboard the Morrison traveled to the waters of Japan in 1837 to return Japanese sailors who had survived a shipwreck and washed ashore on some distant islands as well as try and trade with the Japanese. First the ship approached Uraga Bay where they brought items to show they meant no harm and only wanted peaceful interactions. The ship and crew were shot at with cannons as they got near. Similarly, when the crew reached Kagoshima Bay, they were shot at. Against the suggestions of advisors, the shogunate refused to trade, let alone talk, to the westerners. Establishing trade with Japan could have meant vast profits for American merchants and manufacturers. The value at the time was only seldom understood. President Jackson had instructed Captain Edmund Roberts to travel to China, to try and open up commerce with Japan. The Morrison Incident, as it was referred to, was a small attempt of merchants to gain this new line of trade. With the Japanese again refusing to trade with the U.S., Jackson’s hope of trading with Japan went largely up into smoke. No major attempts to trade with Japan were made again until ten or more years later. More prosperous than trading with Japan, the American frontiersmen established substantial roots in Texas growing cotton. When the Texans began getting frustrated with the Mexican government taking away their rights and outlawing slavery, revolution became more of an appealing option. In 1836, Texas announced its independence from Mexico, and became the Lone Star Republic. News of the infant nation bordered by the United States in the east and Mexico in the south needed to desperately establish ties with other countries to in order to ensure their safety. Countries realized the importance and value of Texas, especially the United States. The Texans wanted to become a state, but the slavery issue prevented it from happening right away. Powerless to do much in the situation, Jackson could do little more than recognize the new country. Nevertheless with the support shown by Jackson and the rest of the United States, tension with Mexico intensified. It was hard for the two countries to maintain any civil formal relations and trade as a result. Both of these events affected the US’s globalization; one was blocked by isolationists and may have hurt some relations and the other one severely hurt the US’s trade with a neighbor. While they didn’t have anything to do with the Jackson administration, this affected the presidency and the country’s globalization.
Thesis: Few presidents have had a time period in American history named after them. The Jacksonian Era was a time marked by a change in the way presidencies were carried out. His use of executive authority, fairly different than any former presidents, was evident in many actions he took during his time in office. The Spoils System, the Force Act, the Indian Removal Act, and the dissolution of the United States Bank all demonstrated Andrew Jackson’s use of his presidential power to get things done. Inheriting the Tariff of Abominations and other problems of the War of 1812, President Jackson did not have a smooth time in office. His lack of protection of democratic values, disregard for the indigenous people, and show of federal strength put off many Americans, for this he deserves a C+.
Goals: As president, there were a number of things that Jackson wanted to get done. His top priorities and goals of his presidency were solving the conflicts over land between the Native Americans and the whites, giving more power back to the states, and eliminating corruption in the government. Jackson accomplished most of these, but not always in the best ways. To solve the problems with whites wanting the Native Americans’ land, Jackson issued the Indian Removal Act that ultimately ended with forced marches Indians during the winter to designated lands. Thousands of Indians died on these journeys. To give more power back to the states, Jackson began limiting what the central government could do. He rejected certain bills for internal improvements because he believed it was the states’ rights, not the federal government’s to fix these problems. In Jackson’s feeble attempt to limit the corruption in government, seeing what was going on during the Adams administration, he ended up bringing people into positions of power that had no business being there. The Spoils System often rewarded those who supported Jackson rather than those who were most qualified. Sometimes these individuals appointed had ulterior motives that clouded their judgments and caused more harm than good. Jackson meant well, but did not fulfill his goals as president in the best way possible.
Relationship with Congress: Jackson repeatedly vetoed Congress, twelve times in fact. Presidents before him hardly ever used their power to veto Congress. When he vetoed the bill for the re-charter of the Second Bank of the United States in 1834, he was censured by the Senate. One could say that Congress and President Jackson did not see eye to eye. Often Jackson did not go to Congress when making policies, taking matters into his own hands. Vetoes that Andrew Jackson used include: the Maysville Road bill, the authorization of a subscription of stock in the Maysville Road, the building of light-houses, light-boats, monuments, placing buoys, improving harbors, and directing surveys, a day for annual meeting of Congress, and to improve navigation of the Wabash River among a few others.
Positive Event: Helped along in Congress during John Quincy Adams’s presidency by Jackson supporters, the Tariff of Abominations remained in effect when Jackson took office. The tariff created a steep raise in taxes on imported goods up to nearly twenty-five percent. The supporters of Jackson had hoped to taint Adams’s presidency with this ridiculous bill, but they didn’t realize that if it were passed and Jackson was elected president, that he would have to deal with it. Obviously something had to be done about the outrageous tariff, so Jackson, his administration, and Congress began working on a more moderate tariff with lower rates. In 1832, a new tariff was passed reducing rates by ten percent. Not all were satisfied by the tariff, especially South Carolina. They took a stand against the Tariff of Abominations and were not at all pleased by the Tariff of 1832. After voting, the South Carolina state legislature deemed the tariff null and void within their borders. To combat this direct defiance to the government, Jackson signed the Force Act, which made it possible for the president to used armed force to collect import duties. All of the conflict was finally settled with the Tariff of 1833, probably one of the most important actions of his presidency, which compromised both sides and seemed acceptable to all. With the compromise tariff there was no need for armed conflict.
Negative Event: Much of the Native American land in the Unites States was coveted by the whites. Some thought that if the Natives were made civilized and adopted European ways of life they would all benefit, and the whites believed it would be easier to obtain their land. Most tribes rejected attempts at trying to change their culture. Five tribes did assimilate well though; the Choctaw, Chickasaw, Seminole, Creek, and Cherokee became known as the “Five Civilized Tribes.” In Supreme Court cases, the judges ruled that the tribes were their own sovereign nations and that the laws being passed by states to remove them from their land had no effect. President Jackson blatantly disregarded the Supreme Court’s decision stating that he would not enforce their decision. Jackson then signed the Indian Removal Act that gave the government the power to offer the Native Americans land in the west so that their land could be used for cotton. The act said that the government had to be fair and couldn’t force the Natives, but often they were. Thousands upon thousands of Native Americans were forced off their land and had to march west to the Indian Territory. Many died on the long trips to present day Oklahoma. Jackson’s uprooting of the Native Americans was selfish and harsh. He went against the Supreme Court’s decision for selfish gains. The Trail of Tears, as the forced march of Native Americans to the Indian Territory became known as, was a major contributor to Jackson’s rating of C+.
Influential Decision: It was no secret that Andrew Jackson disliked the Bank of the United States. He did not like that the bank had so much power and that it did not have the best interests of the people at heart. The government had no control over the bank, and it mainly listened to the manufacturing giants of the north. Jackson favored the small wildcat or pet banks over the large monopolistic national bank. Henry Clay knew Jackson’s view on the bank and decided to move for a re-charter of the bank to create an election issue. Jackson immediately blocked the charter and the bank was scheduled to cease to exist. The $11 million the United States government had in the bank was removed by Jackson and put into the pet and wildcat banks of the west. This decision created a “snowball” effect that could not have been predicted. These small banks in the west began loaning out money and issuing mountains of paper money. As a result inflation and speculation began running rampant, so much so that Jackson was forced to act. He used the Specie Circular to require people to pay for land with metallic money. This solved the problem of land speculation, but also contributed to the Panic of 1837 which greatly affected Martin Van Buren’s presidency in the next term and the country as a whole.
Conclusion: The Jacksonian era began a change in presidencies where the president began using more and more power. Never before had a president vetoed Congress more or had been so set in his way. Andrew Jackson got things done, there is no doubt about it, but not always in the best ways. The Indian Removal Act and the Trail of Tears, the Spoils System, the Force Act, the prevention of the re-charter of the bank of the United States all showed how effective Jackson was at getting what he thought necessary done. Despite the fact that he was able to complete a considerable amount in his presidency, the repercussions of his actions require a rating of C+.
Bibliography:
Andrew Jackson: "Inaugural Address," March 4, 1829. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project.
"Andrew Jackson Shuts down Second Bank of the U.S." History.com. A&E Television Networks, 2013. Web. 17 Mar. 2013.
Jansen, Marius B., John Whitney. Hall, and Donald H. Shively. The Cambridge History of Japan. 5th ed. Cambridge U.a.: Cambridge Univ., 1989. Print.
DeGregorio, William A. The Complete Book of U.S. Presidents. 6th ed. Fort Lee, NJ: Barricade, 2005. Print.
Feller, Daniel. "Andrew Jackson's Shifting Legacy." The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, 2013. Web. 17 Mar. 2013.
"Glossary." PBS. PBS, 2007. Web. 17 Mar. 2013.
"List of United States Presidential Vetoes." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 17 Mar. 2013. Web. 17 Mar. 2013.
Minster, Christopher. "The Texas Revolution." About.com Latin American History. About.com, 2013. Web. 17 Mar. 2013.
Perkins, Dorothy. The Samurai of Japan: A Chronology from Their Origin in the Heian Era (794-1185) to the Modern Era. Upland, PA: Diane Pub., 1998. Print.
"Trail of Tears." History.com. A&E Television Networks, 2013. Web. 17 Mar. 2013.